John Russell and his descendents

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Barsheba² Russell (John¹) was born about 1797 in Washington County, Virginia. She died 20 Jan 1872 in Lane, Oregon. She married 15 Aug 1815 in Scott County, Virginia, Abraham Nordyke Foley who was born about 1794 in Washington County, Virginia and died 30 Sep 1 1881 in Eugene, Lane County, Oregon. He is the son of Rev Elijah Foley and Elizabeth Beulah (Nordyke) Foley.

Early Years

Barsheba Russell (sometimes called Bessie) was born about 1797 in Washington County, Virginia. Probate records for her father, John, include a list of John's children in birth order. The estimates of birth years for Barsheba and her siblings were based on the order of birth, a few census records, and property and land tax records showing the years in which John's older sons appear on the tax lists.¹ Her parents were:

• John Russell, b about 1756; d 1821 in Missouri.
• Barsheba.

Barsheba's parentage is supported by the evidence. A daughter, Barsheba, is listed in John's probate record, a name that is not very common.² In addition, Barsheba is married in Virginia to Abraham Nordyke Foley,³ and later in 1817, Abraham Foley is found in the census in Missouri with John Russell and two of Barsheba's brothers, Henry and Patterson.⁴

Marriage and Children

Barsheba married Abraham Nordyke Foley on 8 Aug 1815 in Scott County, Virginia.⁴ In addition to the record of her marriage, the bond signed by John Russell, additional evidence that he is her father, was found.⁵ James Foley officiated at their wedding. James is Abraham's uncle, a baptist minister.

Abraham Foley was living in Washington County at the time of their marriage. Moses Foley, Abraham's grandfather, first appears on the personal property tax list in 1799.⁶ Moses was a baptist preacher.⁷ Moses was pastor of the North Fork Holstein and Rich Valley churches in Virginia from 1794 to 1802. Moses is found on the Washington County property tax lists until 1801.

In 1800, James Foley appears on the Washington County property tax lists. James is Moses' son. James is also a minister, the minister who officiated at Abraham and Barsheba's wedding. He also married Joseph and Polly Russell, Barsheba's brother. James died in 1812, shown because John Russell sold some of his property to James Foley's heirs in 1816. ⁸

In 1801, there are four Foley's on the Washington County property tax list, Moses and 3 of his sons--Moses Sr, James, Elijah, and Moses. Elijah and Moses Jr are also baptist ministers. Rev. Elijah Foley is Abraham's father. Elijah left Virginia and preached in Kentucky for a few years. Later, he preached in Missouri. He is found in the Boone County census in 1830, the same county where Abraham is found.⁹

Abraham's estate documents include a list of his heirs, including their age and where they live.¹⁰ This list, plus other information about the children, including census data, was used to produce the following list of Abraham and Barsheba's eight children:

1. Harriet S, born 1816 in Scott County, Virginia. ( Family Group Sheet (pdf) )
   1. married Michael Crow 25 Dec 1834 Greene County, Missouri.¹¹
2. Elizabeth G, born about 1820 in Missouri. ( Family Group Sheet (pdf) )
   1. married Reuben Mason Hill 9 Nov 1834 in Cole County, Missouri.¹²
3. John R., born 18 Nov 1824 in Missouri. [died at 6 yr old]¹³
4. Matilda E., born 14 Feb 1826 in Boone Co, Missouri.¹⁴ ( Family Group Sheet (pdf) )
   1. married Fielding Lemmon, 27 Sep 1844 Polk Co, Missouri.
5. Sarah J., born about 1826 in Missouri. ( Family Group Sheet (pdf) )
   1. married Henry Taylor Hill [nephew of Reuben Mason Hill], 13 Aug 1846 Polk Co, Missouri.¹⁵
6. Euphrates J., born about 1828 in Missouri. ( Family Group Sheet (pdf) )
   1. married Sarah Elizabeth [unknown maiden name], 16 Jan 1854 Linn Co, Oregon¹⁶
7. Madison Nordyke, born 25 Apr 1836 in Springfield, Green County, Missouri.¹⁷ ( Family Group Sheet (pdf) )
   1. married Eleanor Willis, 20 May 1865, Oregon.
8. Robert Emmett, born 8 Jan 1840 in Boone, Missouri.( Family Group Sheet (pdf) )
   1. married Margaret Willis in 1865 in Oregon.
   2. married Caroline Virginia Whitehead 1 May 1879, Washoe, Nevada.¹⁸

In Virginia

Barsheba was born and raised in Washington County, Virginia, on the north fork of the Holston River.¹⁹ In 1815, the part of Washington County where they lived was included in the newly created Scott County. Shortly after this, Barsheba married Abraham Nordyke Foley, 8 Aug 1815, in Scott County.

Abraham is never found on a Virginia tax list, either land tax or property tax. It's possible that Abraham and Barsheba left for Virginia shortly after they married, before a tax list was made for the year. The tax list for 1815 appears to be incomplete, but the tax lists for 1816 are complete and Abraham does not appear. It's also possible that they lived with John Russell or Abraham's father or one of his brothers after they married.

Soon after their marriage, whether they lived with a relative for a short time or left immediately, they moved to Missouri.

In Missouri

Abraham is found on the 1817 Missouri territorial census in Femme Osage Township, St. Charles County, Missouri.²⁰ Femme Osage is on the eastern side of Missouri, about 50 miles from the eastern border. Femme Osage is the town where Daniel Boone spent the last years of his life and died in 1820. Barsheba's father and two brothers, Henry and Patterson, are also found in Femme Osage in this census.

Abraham must have spent only a short time in Femme Osage because he is found in 1817 in Perche Bottom, Boone County, Missouri, which is about 100 miles west of Femme Osage.²¹ Boone County was created in 1820; Missouri became a state in 1821. Barsheba's father, John Russell, and her brother, Patterson Y Russell, also moved to Boone County. Both John and Patterson are found in Boone County in 1821, when John died and Patterson was the administrator of his estate.²² Since the 1820 US census for Missouri is lost, it's not possible to know if John and Patterson were in Boone County earlier than 1821. Another of Barsheba's brothers, Joseph, moved to Boone County at the end of 1821 or beginning of 1822.²³

On 27 Mar 1822, Abraham purchased 85 acres in Boone County.²⁴ Patterson and Joseph also purchased land in Boone County.^25,26 Their land was all in Township 48, but does not appear to be adjoining tracts. On 1 Mar 1827, Abraham purchased another 80 acres, also in Township 48, in Boone County.²⁷

In 1828, Abraham ran for sheriff of Boone County. He lost to Harrison Jamison, the incumbent, 563 to 334.²⁸

In 1830, the US census shows Abraham in Columbia, Boone County, Missouri, with a household of:²⁹

• 1 male 30-39
• 1 female 30-39
• 1 male 10-14
• 1 female 10-14
• 1 male 5-9
• 2 female 5-9
• 1 male 0-4
• 1 female 0-4

The 1840 census has a mysterious entry for A. N. Foley in Polk County, Missouri.³⁰ Polk County is west of Boone County, which could mean that Abraham was moving west again. However, the household only consists of 1 male 15-19 and 1 female 20-29, which clearly does not include Abraham. There is supporting evidence that Abraham moved to Polk County. Michael Crow, Abraham's son-in-law, is found in the 1840 census in Polk County.³¹ In 1845, Abraham puchased land in Polk County.³² In 1848, he purchased additional land in Polk County.³³ So, the census taker may have made an error recording who was in the A. N. Foley household in 1840, or, perhaps, only two of Abraham's children were there when the census taker arrived.

In 1850, Abraham is found in the census in Polk County, Missouri.³⁴ At this time, his household consists of:

	Age	Born	Born in
Abrahan N	43	about 1807	Virginia
Boishada	43	about 1807	Virginia
Euphratus	22	about 1828	Missouri
Madison	14	about 1836	Missouri
Robet	12	about 1838	Missouri

These are Barsheba's three youngest sons, Euphrates, Madison Nordyke, and Robert Emmett. The older children have left home by this time. The census record shows both Abraham and Barsheba as younger than they are. In this census, Abraham is listed as a physician. Earlier census records did not collect information on profession.

Sometime in the summer of 1851 or 1852, Abraham traveled to Oregon. All of his children also emigrated to Oregon.

In Oregon

Abraham arrived in Oregon in 1851 or 1852. Wagon trains traveled in the summer, arriving as early in the fall as possible, before winter prevented further travel. Abraham is found in the 1853 Oregon census in Umpqua County.³⁵ His children are found in Oregon, as well.

His daughter, Matilda, and her husband, Fielding Lemmon, are documented in Oregon in 1851, and later migrated to Nevada where he was a prominent man, a big rancher and legislator.³⁶ Harriet and her husband, Michael Crow, are documented in Oregon, settling in Douglas County.³⁷ Other members of the Crow family also migrated to Oregon. Sarah with her husband, Henry Taylor Hill, settled in Eugene.³⁸ Elizabeth and her husband, Reubin Mason Hill, are found in Napa, California, in 1853,³⁹ and later settled in Nevada.⁴⁰ Abraham's three sons, Euphrates (22), Madison (16), and Robert (14), were still in his household in 1850 and traveled with him to Oregon.

In the 1850 census in Missouri, Abraham was listed as a physician. He was still a physician in Oregon. His medical practice is documented in a medical history book written by a professor at the University of Oregon Medical School in 1949.⁴¹ He is also mentioned several places in a history of Coos County written in 1896.⁴² Between these books, census records, tax records, and other information, there is considerable evidence documenting Abraham's life in Oregon.

Abraham is first documented in the 1853 census in Umpqua County, Oregon.⁴³ In addition, on 3 Sep 1853, Abraham was appointed postmaster at Elkhorn, Umpqua County, Oregon.⁴⁴ Umpqua County only existed for a short time. It was created in 1853, when gold was discovered in the area, and in 1862, when the gold mining boom played out, it became part of Douglas County. The post office records show Abraham as postmaster of Elkhorn, but the capital city of Umpqua County was Elkton. The records are probably in error, since Elkhorn is the name of mountains and a town in eastern Oregon. The city of Elkton was, and still is, located in the mountains in the southern part of Oregon, a short distance from the coast. Abraham's appointment as postmaster ended on 6 Oct 1854, after serving just a little over a year.

Abraham is next found in Empire City in Coos County. Empire City was settled in 1853, the beginning of the current city of Coos Bay, Oregon. It was a thriving port on the southern Oregon coast. A first person account by a lady who was present at the beginning of Empire City, mentions Dr. Foley's arrival.⁴⁵ This was in 1853 or 1854. He may have returned to Elkton and moved to Empire City a little later or this may have been when he moved there. Shortly after this, gold was found in Randolph, on the coast about 20 miles south of Empire City, close to the mouth of the Coquille River. Many people from Empire City flocked to Randolph, including Abraham. He is mentioned in the medical history book as one of the pioneers of Randolph.⁴⁶ However, most people did not strike it rich and soon returned to Empire City, including Abraham.

Abraham is found on the muster roll of Capt. W. H. Harris, Coos County Volunteers, called into service of the territory of Oregon.⁴⁷ The unit was mustered in spring, 1856, to fight in the indian wars. Abraham is listed as A. N. Foley, Ass't Sergt.

Abraham established a drugstore in Empire City. A hall above his drugstore was used for meetings, including church services.⁴⁸ On 30 Apr 1858, Abraham was appointed postmaster at Empire City, Coos County, Oregon.⁴⁹ Perhaps the post office was located in his drugstore. Abraham's appointment as postmaster ended on 18 Nov 1858, slightly more than 6 months later.

Abraham is found continuously in the census and tax rolls in Coos County, from 1853 to 1858.⁵⁰ Barsheba, as A.N. Foley (Mrs), is also found on the tax rolls in Coos County in 1858. She is again on the tax rolls in 1859, but Abraham is not listed, Perhaps he had gone ahead to Eugene City, bringing Barsheba to Eugene City later. By 1860, Abraham is practicing medicine in Eugene City in Lane County, Oregon.⁵¹

The medical history book contains the following discussion of his medical qualifications.⁵²

Doctor Foley was probably never blessed with a diploma. He could manage to read slowly and laboriously, had the habit of talking in broad Pike county [Missouri] dialect with his expressive "thar" and "whar". He had a few medical books and would often say to an anxious patient, "you can see for yourself."

The book mentions that "He had a wise, venerable look." It also mentions that he was elected to some responsible offices, such as Probate Judge, but was not very good at it. This is believable because he had run for office before. He ran for sheriff, but was defeated, while in Missouri. A newspaper article showing results of an election in 1854 Coos County lists Abraham as losing for Probate Judge.⁵³

Abraham and Barsheba are found in the 1870 census in Eugene, Lane county, Oregon.⁵⁴ None of their children are found in their household, but their grandson, William Lemmon, was in their household. Abraham and Barsheba are both shown to be 73 years old in this census record.

Abraham practiced medicine in Eugene for many years. His son, Robert, became a doctor in Eugene as well. Robert graduated at Willamette University. Abraham amd Robert practiced medicine together for some years. Ads for Dr. A. N. Foley & Son appeared in the newspaper weekly.⁵⁵ The earliest ad found was in Feb 1871.

In 1870, Abraham purchased land about 60 miles east of Eugene. When the 1870 census was conducted, 9 Jun 1870, Abraham said he had land worth 5,000 and personal property worth 500. On this land, he built cabins and facilities and opened it as a medical resort spa, which he called Bethesda Springs.⁵⁶ The spa catered to affluent patients. It provided excellent hunting and fishing, as well two hot springs. Abraham ran ads in the newspaper that extolled the medicinal qualities of the waters.⁵⁷

Abraham operated the spa until 1879. It was frequently mentioned in the newspapers. In addition to the ads, there were articles on its progress, letters to the editor, reports from visitors, local news reportings people traveling to Foley Springs or returning from Foley Springs, reports of the progress of illness for individuals, and other items. For instance, the following article was printed in the Oregon State Journal on May 31, 1873:⁵⁸

Bethsaida Springs—We have received a letter from Dr. Foley dated Bethaisda Springs, May 22, in which he states that the springs more than meet his expectations: that he is in better health than usual, and is now prepared to accommodate all who come in search of health. The wagon road is completed to the springs and a bathhouse 18 x 33 feet, with five bathrooms, has been erected. Dr. Foley has spent several months and a considerable sum of money in improving these Springs, and is deserving of the patronage of those who go to the mountains for health and recuperation. The Springs undoubtedly contain curative properties to a great degree, as all who have visited them bear unanimous testimony to this effect. They are located on the south side of the McKenzie river, about fivty five miles from this city. The road runs along the McKenzie, where there is as fine fishing, as on any stream, perhaps, in Oregon, and where, during July and August, blackberries, huckleberries, and many other kinds of berries, are found in great abundance. No portion of Oregon affords more inducements to the sick or those in search of pleasure than the McKenzie river. Several persons have left here during the week bound for these Springs for the benefit of their health.

Dr. Foley retired in 1879. At that time, his son-in-law, Henry T Hill, bought the property. Henry operated the spa until 1881. It was sold to Peter Runey after Abraham died.⁵⁹ Foley Hot Springs resort was operated by Peter Runey and his wife, and by his wife with her second husband after Peter Runey's death, until it was closed in 1940 or 1950. In 1916, a new hotel was built at Foley Springs, but it burned to the ground in 1981, when the property was closed and marked with no trespassing signs.⁶⁰

Death

Barsheba died 20 Jan 1872. Two newspaper articles mark her passing. The Eugene City Guard reported:⁶¹

Seriously ill -- We regret to learn that Mrs. A. N. Foley is seriously ill. She was taken with a congestive chill some time since and her great age rendered her unable to recover from the shock.

The Oregon State Journal reported:⁶²

Died in this city, January 20, 1872, Mrs. Bersheba Foley, wife of Dr. A. N. Foley. The deceased was born in Virginia, lived a portion of her life in Missouri, and for many years was a resident of this city. The funeral will take place tomorrow, from her late residence, at half-past one o'cvlock. Friends of the deceased are invited to attend.

Abraham died 30 Sep 1881. The following notice appeared in the newspaper.⁶³

Dr. A. N. Foley died at his residence in this place last evening. Aged 100 years.

He was not actually 100 years old. However, he was around 90 years old.

Abraham died intestate. G. B. Dorris was the administrator of his estate. His probate file contains many documents, including invoices, receipts, and notes to settle financial matters for the estate and a list of all his personal property.⁶⁴ His land consisted of a lot in Eugene and the Foley Springs property. The court ordered his property sold to pay expenses and debts. His heirs were given an opportunity to protest, but did not. The property was sold at a private sale, bringing $430.00 for the lot in Eugene and $1140.00 for Foley Springs, sold to Peter Rooney. After all expenses had been paid, each of Abraham's six living heirs received $69.50 and two children of his dead son, Euphrates, received $34.75 each.

Neither Barsheba's nor Abraham's grave has been found. The graves are reported in some places to be in the Masonic Cemetery at Eugene, but the Cemetery has no record of either Abraham or Barsheba buried there.